A hospital is where people usually go to get better when they are sick, so it’s only natural to expect that everything there will be kept squeaky clean and free of germs. However, what we tend to forget is that these are also the places that are brimming with germs and diseases. While dedicated institutions like Infection Control Results have largely made hospitals, ambulances,and other medical facilities much safer than before, it only makes sense that we take a few precautions of our own during our stay, to ensure safety. After all, not every potential danger in a hospital is limited to the chances of contracting a disease.

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Verification of the Surgery Spot

It is surprising how many cases of surgery done on the wrong body part turns up each year in the US alone, so it makes sense for you to ask your doctor to mark the right spot before surgery in the presence of a family member, or maybe even legal personnel. Also, see if the patient has been started on antibiotics pre-surgery because that reduces the chance of developing an infection. If not, feel free to ask why because you are entitled to a satisfactory answer.

Reduce the Risk of Falling

A huge chunk of hospital-related injuries result from patients falling off the bed, so make sure that the hospital staff are taking precautions with your patient to prevent such a situation. Guardrails are usually enough, alongside regular supervision.

Avoiding Infections

It’s not uncommon to contract something at the hospital since it’s basically a house full of sick people! However, you can reduce the chances of that by following a few simple rules as follows.

  • Ask the staff to wash their hands before working on you, even if they insist they did that previously
  • Never touch anything that has already been used, even when it’s your own bandage, syringe, tissue, etc.
  • Wash your own hands periodically with antibacterial soap and especially before eating or touching a wound
  • Do not hesitate to wear a mask if you feel that you need to

Keep Warm

This is a golden rule to remember whenever you are sick or wounded; keep warm to avoid infections. Post-surgery, or just when you have been brought down by something, keep in mind that maintaining a warm body will help you to heal faster. Blankets are a must when the temperature is relatively cold.

Emergency Alert System

Whatever emergency alert system it is that the hospital or nursing home is using, just make sure that the patient understands how it works clearly and it is easily reachable, should the need arise. Emergencies have a tendency to occur during the night, so check and make sure that the facility has a good enough night emergency system in place.

Practicing a bit of caution is usually sufficient to keep patients safe at a hospital and the points you just read should be able to help you understand how to do that. First and foremost though, your safety at the hospital is the responsibility of the hospital authorities, and should they fail to do that in any significant manner, do not be afraid to pursue legal action.